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Changes (& Instasnaps)

It’s been quite a long time since my last post. Four months in fact. Oops!! In fairness there’s been change afoot on the real-life/work front: I am now a proud resident of Kigali, Rwanda!

It was a change that I knew was coming, but ended up happening in rather a more whirlwind manner than anticipated. Essentially, I finished my old contract in Geneva on a Friday in February and the following Tuesday was sitting on a plane to Rwanda. Boom.

This is not now nor has ever been a blog about work, but suffice it to say that this move pretty much represents all my professional dreams come true. I get to continue working for an organization I love, but in a role with much more direct people-contact. So far it is everything I hoped for and I love it.

Kigali meanwhile is a ridiculously lovely place to live. For anyone who doesn’t know, Rwanda is a little landlocked country tucked between Tanzania, Burundi and DRC. It is stunningly and endlessly beautiful. Rolling green luscious hills in all directions. On top of that the infrastructure is amazing (think perfectly paved roads all over the country) and Kigali itself is this fascinating hub of new enterprise, with startup coffee shops and dance studios and great restaurants. All-in-all I feel extremely lucky to be living here.

I’ve no intention of stopping sewing, but since getting out here I’ve been thinking a lot about whether I want to continue this blog; whether it feels appropriate. As much as I LOVE following the blogs of other sewists (I really do) there is something undeniably narcissistic about blogging photos of yourself, which I was suddenly very conscious of. So I was tussling with that.

I decided in the end that I will keep blogging. Maybe just once a month. I struggle to keep a diary and am not great at correspondence, and this blog goes a little way to ticking both of those boxes. But at the same time, I’ll try and mix it up a bit. A few photos of my makes, but also some showcasing of the fabulous creativity of the Kigali sewing scene. From fabric shops and stalls to tailors and designers, to sewing co-ops. There’s lots to share, and that way hopefully it won’t feel quite so ME ME ME!!

I hope that makes sense and that you’ll keep reading the blog. My sewing machine is currently in a trunk somewhere between Geneva and Kigali, so I’ll let you know when it arrives.

Siobhan xx

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6 thoughts on “Changes (& Instasnaps)”

I think that keeping up your blog is rewarding for everyone especially as you are blogging from Rwanda.

I’m in the Uk, and all we are exposed to is the negative. Rwanda and other African nations are portrayed as warlike or as a financial burden etc. What is the cuisine? The culture? Who knows?! We don’t get exposed to the friendly personalities of its residents, the beautiful landscape, the infrastructure or the fashion of the area that you mention.

I would be interested to see if your sewing choices become inspired by your travels. I love looking at pictures of complete strangers wearing what they have made on their blogs! So for me, it’s not narcissism, it’s a window into a world that is different to mine, but in some ways the same.

If you have the time I say keep blogging.
Big up yourself and Rwanda!!

I just found you this morning and have read this post, the comments and your “about me”. I ditto the above comments and have to say how exciting your situation seems to me.
By all means you must keep up the blog whenever you can and let us live vicariously through your experiences. Whether it is sewing or the Rwanda lifestyle and experience. I think that many of us home sewers would love to hear about your day to day discoveries in that location.
Please do continue and let us share your “Out of Africa” life.